This is the Global News podcast from the BBC World Service.

I'm Janet Jalil and in the early hours of Sunday the 23rd of February.

These are our main stories.

There's been an unexplained delay to the release of hundreds of Palestinians from Israeli jails

hours after Hamas freed six hostages from Gaza.

The Vatican says the Pope's health has deteriorated after more than a

week in hospital with pneumonia. One person has been killed in a knife attack on police officers in

France that President Macron has called an act of Islamist terror. Also in this podcast, a Frenchman whose stolen credit card was used to buy a winning lottery scratch card,

which has now been frozen, makes this appeal to the thieves.

I'd like to tell them to counter it my lawyer so we can work out a friendly agreement.

Let's split the money.

As six hostages released by Hamas have been tearfully reunited with their families,

Israel has delayed the release of more than 600 Palestinian prisoners who were supposed to be freed in exchange under the terms of the Gaza

ceasefire deal. There's been no official explanation for the delay. However, Israeli security

officials have been meeting late into this evening. Hamas has accused Israel of a blatant

violation of the Gaza ceasefire deal and claims some of the prisoners have

been assaulted. As night fell in the West Bank town of Romala, families continue to wait as we

record this podcast, including these relatives of two of the prisoners.

Waiting is very difficult and it's very difficult to be on edge, but we shall endure it for the sake of their freedom.

For us, one hour equals a day.

We've been sitting on the chair waiting for many hours, but what else can we do?

Well, earlier on Saturday, five of the hostages were freed in the stage-managed shows

...